中國(guó)網(wǎng)站品牌欄目（頻道）
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German authorities are investigating possible large-scale fraud by organic egg producers. |
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German authorities are investigating possible large-scale fraud by organic egg producers amid increased concern over food industry practices following Europe's horse meat scandal. The northern state of Lower Saxony, a major agricultural hub, has launched probes of some 150 farms suspected of wrongly selling eggs produced by hens kept in overcrowded conditions under the organic label. Two other states are investigating a further 50 farms. "If the accusations (against the farms) are found to be true, then we are talking of fraud on a grand scale: fraud against consumers but also fraud against the many organic farmers in Germany who work honestly," German Farm Minister Ilse Aigner said in a statement on Monday. She urged regional governments to ensure the full implementation of tough German and EU laws on organic food production, adding that consumers must be able to have full confidence in the labeling of products. Organically produced eggs cost some 10 cents more than those produced under standard industrial conditions. Christian Meyer, farm minister in the newly appointed Lower Saxony government, vowed to take a tough line on any farms found to have broken the law. Organic food is a huge industry in environmentally-conscious Germany, where many consumers are willing to pay extra for eggs, meat, vegetables and other products they believe have been produced organically. The suspicions of organic egg fraud coincide with the discovery that horse meat was labeled as beef in processed food sold around Europe. The scandal has triggered recalls of ready meals and damaged confidence in the continent's food industry. Two years ago a European Union-wide health alert was sparked when German officials said animal feed tainted with dioxin had been fed to hens and pigs, contaminating eggs, poultry meat and pork at affected farms. (Read by Emily Cheng. Emily Cheng is a journalist at the China Daily Website.) |
歐洲馬肉風(fēng)波未平，人們對(duì)食品行業(yè)的關(guān)注持續(xù)升溫，與此同時(shí)德國(guó)又爆出大規(guī)模有機(jī)雞蛋造假案，德國(guó)檢察機(jī)關(guān)正在對(duì)此展開調(diào)查。 作為大型農(nóng)業(yè)中心，德國(guó)北部下薩克森州已對(duì)大約150多家農(nóng)場(chǎng)展開調(diào)查，這些農(nóng)場(chǎng)涉嫌出售假冒有機(jī)雞蛋，雞舍條件過度擁擠。 另外兩個(gè)州也在進(jìn)一步調(diào)查其它50個(gè)農(nóng)場(chǎng)。 德國(guó)農(nóng)業(yè)部長(zhǎng)伊爾莎-艾格納周一發(fā)表聲明說：“如果針對(duì)這些農(nóng)場(chǎng)的指控成立，那我們所面臨的將是一個(gè)大型的欺詐丑聞。這不僅是對(duì)消費(fèi)者的欺騙，也是對(duì)德國(guó)許多誠(chéng)信工作的有機(jī)農(nóng)場(chǎng)工人的欺騙”。 她催促地方政府確保全面嚴(yán)格執(zhí)行德國(guó)和歐盟有關(guān)有機(jī)食品生產(chǎn)的法律，并補(bǔ)充道消費(fèi)者應(yīng)對(duì)產(chǎn)品標(biāo)簽有高度信心。 有機(jī)雞蛋的價(jià)格比標(biāo)準(zhǔn)工業(yè)條件下生產(chǎn)的雞蛋貴10美分。 作為新上任的下薩克森州農(nóng)業(yè)部長(zhǎng)，克里斯蒂安?梅耶承諾對(duì)所有違規(guī)農(nóng)場(chǎng)采取強(qiáng)硬措施。 在環(huán)保意識(shí)強(qiáng)烈的德國(guó)，有機(jī)食品產(chǎn)業(yè)巨大。很多消費(fèi)者都愿意花更多的錢買有機(jī)雞蛋、有機(jī)肉食、有機(jī)蔬菜等其它他們認(rèn)為有機(jī)生產(chǎn)的產(chǎn)品。 有機(jī)雞蛋涉嫌造假巧遇席卷歐洲加工食品“掛牛頭賣馬肉”事件。這起丑聞?wù)倩亓擞袉栴}的即食肉制品，重創(chuàng)消費(fèi)者對(duì)歐洲食品行業(yè)的信心。 兩年前，德國(guó)官員表示一些農(nóng)場(chǎng)喂養(yǎng)雞和豬的動(dòng)物飼料含有二惡英，影響到雞蛋、家禽肉和豬肉的安全，從而引發(fā)了歐盟健康警報(bào)。 相關(guān)閱讀 英22萬醫(yī)生提議對(duì)飲料加稅應(yīng)對(duì)肥胖 （中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)英語點(diǎn)津 實(shí)習(xí)生：徐凌晨 編輯：Julie） |
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